


Second Chances; New Beginnings

by MostFacinorous



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different Powers, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Gen, The Wicked and the Divine AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-24
Updated: 2016-09-24
Packaged: 2018-08-17 00:31:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8123596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MostFacinorous/pseuds/MostFacinorous
Summary: “Things get bad for a while. Then you folks start popping up, we figure out who you are, toss you together, and things get good again. Until you die.”





	

“Things get bad for a while. Then you folks start popping up, we figure out who you are, toss you together, and things get good again. Until you die.” 

Fury was looking out at them over his steepled fingers. 

 

“Seems like a pretty raw deal for us, though, doesn’t it? I mean-- my life’s kind of on a track right now.” The guy who spoke, Tony, was slouching low in his chair, arms crossed, sunglasses perched on top of his fashionably dishevelled hair. 

 

“Problem with that is, you talk like you think you have a choice. You think I’m offering this to you? Hell, if I got to choose, I wouldn’t pick a bunch of kids for starters. Wouldn’t decide to bestow powers on those three-- they look like they each wish they could claim a corner to stand in. And I sure as hell wouldn’t choose some entitled little shit to protect Earth, but here we are. You’re Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Congratulations.” 

Fury stood, looking around at what he had to work with. He didn’t seem overly impressed. 

 

There were just five of them-- Tony, slouching and pouting, Bruce, who looked like he was afraid he’d be hit again-- and it was obvious from the bruises that it would be an again, and that he was probably used to it. There was Natasha, who looked like she would be happier being invisible. She wasn’t as obviously uncomfortable as Bruce, nor as twitchy as Clint, who was sitting next to her, but she looked more on edge. Wary. Clint was a fidgety mess who could either be an out doorsy kind of guy or living in a dumpster. On him, it was hard to tell. And the other guy... well. He’d refused to sit. He stood, back ramrod straight, fists clenched, but silent, listening to everything, and frowning through what he heard. 

His jaw was clenching and unclenching, and it might be more worrisome that he seemed to be mad as hell-- if not for the fact that he was probably 90 pounds, soaking wet. 

 

“And if we choose not to get ‘tossed together’?” Steve asked, and his voice didn’t really match his face. It had an edge to it that his body didn’t quite support

 

“What?” Fury asked, clearly a little thrown off by this. 

 

“We don’t get a choice about turning into these Avengers. Fine. But we don’t have to stick together, don’t have to stay with you, and I sure as hell don’t see any reason why we have to do what you order us to. If there’s a reason we deserve to be the people with these powers, seems to me there’s a reason we should be the ones who decide how they get used.”

 

“Need I remind you there is a clear and present threat?” Fury asked, swiveling to gesture at the picture of the guy on the screen. 

“This is the flip side for us-- we get you, but we get him, and people like him, too. And since he’s the first, the sooner you take care of him, the more reason others will have to fear you, and to think twice.”

 

Steve kept staring at the guy on the screen 

There were several pictures-- who he used to be. A kid with too much hair, a permanent slouch, and the sort of face that inspired pity when you looked at it, and encouraged you to look away. The type of guy who would sit alone at lunch. 

 

And now… now he was standing tall, obviously confident, and powerful. Steve’s stomach churned, watching the video clip of him making people kneel before him. 

 

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t at least try to talk to him first.” He crossed his arms and stared down Fury. 

Fury glared right back. 

 

“Here’s the deal-- I may not be able to prevent you from taking up your mantles and doing the hero thing, but I’m the guy who can make you into that right now. I got a deadline, and it’s not right away, so you can agree to help me and get your powers, or you can choose to be bull headed and sit in timeout until I have no choice but to give you them. What do you say?” 

 

“I’m in.” 

 

Steve’s head turned, surprised to hear Natasha speak. She’d been just as quiet as he had, until now. 

 

Now, she stood, more graceful than expected, uncoiling from her place on the couch. 

“I want the power, I’ll use it to take him out. I don’t want to see any more people getting hurt.” 

 

“Yeah.” 

Clint hurried to stand next to her, and she gave him a fond look. 

 

Tony stretched. 

“I guess I’m in, too.” 

 

Fury looked to Bruce, who was staring down at the file he’d been handed. 

“You keep saying hero. That we’re heroes. This is a monster.” 

He looked up, eyes hooded. 

“I don’t want it.” 

 

“Well, you’ll get it sooner or later, but that’s fine, you can sit this one out if you want. Steve?” Fury prompted, dismissing Bruce just like that. 

 

Steve lifted his chin. 

“I’m gonna have to respectfully decline.” He said, words clipped. 

 

“Suit yourselves. Bruce, Steve-- you’re free to go. Don’t try and do anything stupid, though, or I’ll have to have my boys pick you up and bring you back here for safe keeping.” 

Steve scowled at that, but held his tongue and followed Bruce out. 

Behind them, lights flared inside of the room, and when the others cried out, Steve wanted to turn, to go back and offer to help…. But something told him to keep walking. 

 

Bruce didn’t need to be told; he was halfway to the elevators already, obviously eager to get out of there. 

 

Steve wondered what he’d tell his dad about why he was late. 

Wondered what would happen to him because Fury’s guys had picked him up. 

 

Bucky had to be worried, he knew. He’d call as soon as he got out of this damn tower. 

 

\---

 

It’d been a couple of days, and ever since his meeting with Fury Steve had been all but glued to the TV, searching for any news about Natasha, Tony, or Clint. 

Or Loki-- or whoever he’d been before.

 

“You feeling okay Stevie?” Bucky asked, settling down beside him. 

 

Steve shook himself out of it and turned to look at his best friend. 

 

“Fine Buck, why, what’s up?” 

 

“You haven’t left the couch in a day and a half, except to go to the bathroom or try to get the computer to work. Hell, have you even eaten today?”

 

Steve made a face. 

It was bad enough Bucky had to take care of him on his bad days; he didn’t need to give the guy a reason to mother him when he felt alright, too. 

 

“Nah, I forgot. But really, I’m fine. I’d have--” his words dropped off suddenly when the story on the news changed, and it showed Loki in New York. 

At Steve’s school. 

 

Walking distance from here. 

 

Steve stood.

“I gotta go.” He said, distracted, already reaching for his coat. 

 

“The hell you do.” Bucky responded angrily, standing and following him. “I don’t know what you think you can do about that guy, but I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. He’s got magic, Steve. Green glowy shoot from his hands magic.” 

 

“I just wanna talk to him.”  Steve insisted, ducking around his roommate to make a beeline for the door. 

 

“And what makes you think he’ll hear you out?” Bucky demanded, still worry-angry.

 

“You heard of The Avengers?” Steve asked, and Bucky blinked. 

 

“Yeahhhh?” he asked, trailing off. “What about them?”

 

Steve turned back at the front door. 

“Apparently, I’m Captain America.” 

He slipped out before Bucky could say anything else, or laugh, or try to keep him from leaving. 

 

He grabbed Bucky’s bike and hopped on, pedaling for all his weak legs and weaker lungs were worth. 

He had to get there before the others did. He didn’t doubt they’d be close behind, though. 

 

\---

 

“You know, I’d really expected them to send you after me  _ after _ turning you into a ham steak.” Loki drawled, raising an eyebrow as he stalked towards Steve. 

 

“I didn’t come here because of Fury. I turned him down.” Steve raised his hands, even though he was pretty sure Loki didn’t see him as a threat. 

 

He’d looked so much smaller on TV. Which seemed backwards. 

 

“So what, you thought that you could come and team up with me to get your powers instead? Planning on perverting the narrative? Turning Captain America into a bad guy?” Loki was purring his words, nearly, amusement and disdain dripping from his face and voice. 

 

“No. I just wanted to talk. Wanted to tell you that they’re coming, that they don’t plan to give you a second chance. I thought you deserved one, though. I don’t know how you came to your powers, or what-- whoever-- may have told you to get you to run off like this, but… listen. Destiny, and, and playing a role? That’s bullshit. We might be stuck with this, but we get to make our own choices. You can make your own choices.” 

 

“Why little Captain, hoe very valorous of you. Risking your tiny life to come here and warn me. To try and change my mind. Didn’t anyone tell you that I’m the bad guy? That I  _ chose _ to be the bad guy?”

Loki was approaching again, and only a couple of feet away now. 

 

Steve lifted his chin. 

“Sure they did. And I just told you-- you can make another choice.” 

 

“No.” Loki said the single word softly, almost sadly, and shook his head. “I was raised for this. Everything I am, everything I was told I was, it was a lie to lead me to this. MY parents knew, somehow, they knew about us, what we would become. Thor and I-- did Fury tell you that we have no other names?” Loki chuckled darkly. 

“I may only have developed my powers five days ago, but I have been Loki my entire life.” 

 

Steve frowned, heart and mind both racing as he tried to make sense of the guy’s words. 

 

“You think your parents  _ want  _ you to do this? To go around hurting people?” He challenged. 

 

“Think?” Loki repeated. “No. I know. I have an adoptive brother, you see. Thor. He’s another one of us. One of you, really. And they raised us so that Thor would defeat me. Would get the honor. Have a worthy foe.” He was bitter, and hurting, and Steve’s mouth felt dry. He didn’t know what he could say, didn’t know the whole story, not enough to protest. But some part of him refused to believe that any parents would betray a child this badly. 

Even if he wasn’t their own. 

 

But then, Steve thought again of Bruce, and the things he’d said, trying to get them to let him go. The things his dad would do to him. 

The things his dad was probably doing to him now. 

 

At the back of his mind, he felt the rising heat that usually came right before he got himself into trouble. But there wasn’t anyone here to throw a punch at. 

Loki certainly hadn’t made any move towards hurting him, even though his presence was plenty threatening. 

 

“Prove them wrong, then.” Steve demanded.

 

Loki jerked his head to face him, bewildered. 

“What?” 

 

“Your parents-- you said they raised you to be the bad guy. Which means that acting like this, you’re doing exactly what they want. So you should prove them wrong instead.” 

Steve held his breath, hoping it would work.

 

Loki looked like he’d smacked him for several seconds, and then he let out a slow, low laugh. 

 

“Why Captain, who would ever have thought you capable of such guile?” It was rhetorical, of course, and Steve knew that, but he felt a blush rise to his cheeks just the same. 

 

“I’m not the Captain yet. Call me Steve.” 

 

“Very well. Steve, then. And what do you suppose will happen to me,  _ Steve _ , if your Avengers show up, and I have stopped being the bad guy?” 

 

Steve swallowed. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. 

 

“I’ll-- I’ll talk to them.” He said, though he didn’t have a ton of confidence in that going well. 

 

“Very good, then. Here’s your chance.” 

Loki nodded behind him, and Steve spun to see Iron Man approaching, followed closely by a small aircraft. Through the glass of the front window, he caught a glimpse of red hair. 

They were letting  _ Natasha  _ fly it. 

Only… she wasn’t Natasha now, he had to remind himself. She was The Black Widow. And he only saw the arrow when the sun glanced off of one of the planes of the metal tip.

 

“Wait!” He yelled, as loud as he could. 

 

Tony flipped Iron Man’s face visor up. 

 

“This is why you didn’t want to be part of the team?” He asked. 

 

Steve blinked. 

Since when had Tony had a goatee? 

Not that it mattered, that was just a weird manifestation of his powers. 

 

“No, but this is why you shouldn’t. I talked to him-- Loki needs a chance to be good, to not be a villain. You don’t need to kill him.”

 

“Sorry Steve,” Natasha’s voice came through the speakers on the outside of the plane, her voice distorted by the microphone and a slight accent that she hadn’t had before. “But actually, we do.” 

 

Steve heard a sound like a whip and moved himself between his supposed teammates and Loki. The arrow hit and buried itself deep in his chest. 

 

He looked down and saw red-- red blood, spilling out of him. Red behind his eyes, angry. 

 

They wouldn’t even give him a chance, and now they’d killed Steve, so no one else would either. The red filled him up, like that trouble feeling, like blood rushing to your face after you’d been slapped felt. It was so bright suddenly. Steve closed his eyes. He couldn’t keep standing. 

 

He crumpled, and was surprised when someone caught him. His eyes snapped open.

Loki folded him in his arms, and then kept folding.

Inwards, more and more, it felt like, until they just weren’t there anymore. 

 

Loki lay him down on a bed, somewhere far from there, and despite the bright glow coming off of him now, he took hold of the arrow in Steve’s chest and yanked it out.

 

Steve screamed and the light poured outwards, enveloping everything for one blinding, deafening moment. 

Steve blinked and sat up as it faded, his body whole and more than whole-- he was… huge. Muscled. Bigger than Bucky. Nothing hurt. His senses all seemed sharper. And there was Loki, staring at him like he half expected Steve to jump up and start throttling him. 

 

“Well.” Loki said at last. “It is a pleasure to meet you,  _ Captain _ .”

Steve blinked, then felt his lips turning up in a smile.


End file.
